LC 232 

.03 fl5 
1921 
Copy 1 




' t% '•*■ 



i.v?5 






Suggestions and Programs 

for 

COMMUNITY 
MEETINGS 



PREPARED BY 

W. S. FOGARTY 

County Superintendent of School* 

EATON, OHIO 
1921 



ISSUED BY 

State Department of Education 
Columbus, Ohio 

VERNON M. RIEGEL, Director 



The child is not like raw material 
from the mine, sent to the mill to be 
fashioned and never brought back; his 
continual passing between home and 
school to be educated calls for a single 
purpose in a joint process. To devise 
and supply this single aim, giving it 
continuity, evenness, balance, sanity, is 
the work of the Parent-Teacher As- 
sociation which occupies this middle 
ground between home and schooL 



SUGGESTIONS AND PROGRAMS 



FOR 



COMMUNITY 
MEETINGS 



PREPARED BY 

W. S. FOGARTY 

County Superintendent of Schools 

EATON, OHIO 
1921 



O^o ISSUED BY 
State .Department of Education 

Columbus, Ohio 

VERNON M. RIEGEL, Director 



Columbus, Ohio: 

The F. J. Heer Printing Co. 

1921 



£3/\5 



INTRODUCTION 

In compiling this manual the aim has been to gather some material 
that would be helpful to the Parent-Teachers and other community 
associations of this county. Acknowledgement is due to the State De- 
partment of Education of Wisconsin whose bulletin on SOCIAL AND 
CIVIC WORK is helpful and suggestive. Hanifan's THE COM- 
MUNITY CENTER has many good suggestions. 

What is contained in this bulletin is intended to be only suggestive. 
The school and the people of the community must work out plans and 
make them a success in their own community. Rural populations must 
realize that they are the community and that if they are to progress, 
they must form community organizations. These gatherings will help 
to overcome the isolation of country life, promote neighborliness, make 
country life more satisfying, and develop a spirit of co-operation that 
will prove beneficial. 

Social center work is very valuable and both school and people 
mutually will be benefited. Co-operation is the key word of success. 
Every community has excellent talent which should be developed. Each 
community largely must furnish its own social, recreational and intel- 
lectual Hfe.. The office of the County Superintendent of Schools is 
ready to give all assistance possible, 

W. S. FOGARTY, 
« County Superintendent of Schools. 



I,B«A«Y OF CONGRf SS ., 

POOUM6KT8 oiviaiON 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



SOCIAL CENTER WORK 

"The common school, oh, let its light 
Shine through our country's story. 
Here lies her health, her wealth, her might ; 
Here rests her future glory." 

Logically the school house is the meeting place since it belongs to all 
the people and is a convenient point where the greatest interest of the 
people centers. 

This work is needed to provide recreation for the people. Young 
people must have entertainment, so it is clearly the duty of the com- 
munity to provide it. The school should be a great social center for 
the entire community. 

Such meetings are valuable to develop intellectual powers of both 
old and young. Especially should folks learn to express themselves in 
public. Every boy and girl should have the opportunity for self expres- 
sion before an audience. All of lis should not forget that education 
does not end with school days. 

The interest of parents in the school will be increased by such 
meetings. - Co-operation of home and school is needed in order that 
the best work be done. Many parents hardly know anything that the 
school is doing. Through community meetings they will become ac- 
quainted with the work of the school and thereby become interested. 
When the great value of the school is recognized, then will come modern 
improvements and progress. 

There is great profit in interchange of ideas. Information of good 
bulletins and books will be helpful. 

Such associations may present problems of civic welfare. When 
opinion and sentiment have been formed then these associations will 
become effective means for expression and action. 

Such meetings are akin to the New England Town Meeting and 
the old Anglo-Saxon mote or moot meeting. Certainly these meetings 
will develop leadership. 

In most communities may be found much undeveloped ability. 
Speaking talent, writing talent, reciting and dramatic talent, musical 
ability are all going to waste. All ability should be used for the good 
of the individual and the community.' 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 

A SUGGESTED CONSTITUTION 

(Keep the organization as simple as possible) 

ARTICLE I — Name 

This organization shall be known as the (Parent-Teacher Associa- 
tion) or of the 

. public school. 

ARTICLE II — Purpose 

The purpose of this Association shall be to study the welfare of 
the child in home, school and community; to create a better understand- 
ing between parents and teachers, and to secure co-operation between 
parents and teachers in all endeavors and efforts for the betterment of 
school, home and community 

ARTICLE III — Membership 

Any person interested in the purpose for which this organization is 
formed, participating in its activities by work, by attendance, contribu- 
tion or otherwise, may be a member of this Association. 

ARTICLE IV — Officers 

The officers of this organization shall be President, Secretary 
and Treasurer, to be elected annually at the meeting in the month 
of 

ARTICLE V — Meetings 

The regular meetings of this organization shall be held on the 

of each month. Special meetings 

shall be called by 

ARTICLE VI — Amendments 

This Constitution may be amended at any annual meeting, or by 
unanimous consent at any regular meeting when previous notice has 
been given at a regular meeting that such change is to be proposed 
and acted upon. 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



ARTICLE VII — Duties of Officers 

Section i. The President shall preside at all meetings; shall ap- 
point the chairman of standing committees and be a member of the 
same and shall in all possible ways promote the growth and well-being 
of the association. 

Section 2. The Vice-President shall preside in the absence of the 
President and in general assist him in his work. 

Section 3. The Secretary shall keep an accurate account of the 
proceedings of each meeting; be prepared at any meeting to refer to 
the minutes of previous meetings ; read communications ; send out no- 
tices of meetings; furnish the names of members of committees to 
their respective chairmen ; file all important letters ; keep the roll ; and, 
with the President, sign all warrants. 

Section 4. The Treasurer shall receive all money and pay out the 
same on order of the President and Secretary ; keep an account of 
all receipts and disbursements and render a monthly report. 

ARTICLE VIII — Order of Business 

Roll Call. 

Minutes. 

Program of the Day. 

Reports of Officers. 

Reports of Standing Committees. i 

Reports of Special Committees. 

Unfinished Business. ~ '. 

New Business. 

In the By-Laws provide for dues, committees, etc. 
There should be only small dues and the following standing com- 
mittees are suggested: Program, Membership, Press and Social. 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



COMMUNITY CENTERS IN PREBLE COUNTY 

The following named places are naturally the community centers of 
this county. School buildings are named instead of villages because we 
are thinking of the school in this book. For many purposes the vil- 
lage is the community center ; in a religious way the churches are centers 
of activity. However, the school is for every one, is supported by the 
public and is centrally located. Then most of these schools, equipped 
with auditorium, gymnasium, kitchen and dining facilities, are well 
prepared to serve the needs of the community when meeting together. 
One-room schools are not named because they belong to an old system 
that is rapidly passing away. 



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Camden Consolidated High School. 
College Corner Consolidated Schools. 
Dixon Consolidated Schools. 
Eaton Consolidated Schools. 
Eldorado Village School. 
Fair Haven Consolidated Schools. 
Gratis Consolidated Schools. 
Jackson Consolidated Schools. 
Jefferson Consolidated Schools. 
Lanier Consolidated Schools. 
Lewisburg Village Schools. 
Monroe Consolidated Schools. 
Morning Sun Consolidated Schools. 
Verona Consolidated Schools. 
West Alexandria Consolidated Schools. 
West Elkton Consolidated Schools. 
West Manchester Village School. 
West Sonora School. 



The above eighteen places have been and are meeting the community 
needs for meeting places in this county. 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



SOME DATA OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS 

In the past three years a great many community meetings have been 
held by the schools. With all schools under supervision and nearly all 
consolidated, the number of community meetings has increased many 
hundred per cent and this movement will increase in extent and effec- 
tiveness. The resulting advantages to both school and home are 
invaluable. Some results are entertainment and recreation, intellec- 
tual improvement, moral uplift, social intercourse, encouragement and 
inspiration in one's daily vocation 

The data given below of school and community meetings held in 
the school buildings the past school year indicates that a big work is 
being quietly done in this county. The character of these meetings 
was quite varied. The more important ones were: parent-teachers' 
meetings, entertainments by the school, inter-school literary contests, 
illustrated lectures by the school, community patriotic sings, class plays, 
commencement exercises, inter-school athletic contests, lyceum numbers, 
socials, spelling schools, class parties, teachers' associations, school ex- 
hibits, farmers' improvement associations, school home comings, last- 
day-of-school exercises, moving picture shows, and May festivals. 

The number attending community meetings at the school audito- 
riums is very large. Below is data for last school year which is taken 
from monthly reports by the superintendents. These reports are on file 
in the office of the county superintendent. No charge of admission 
was made for many of the meetings. 

Preble County 1919-1920 

Attendance Receipts 

September 1521 $ 90.00 

October 4549 603.00 

November . . , 8274 721.00 

December 9093 771.00 

January 4514 298.00 

February 5655 617.00 

March 4339 558.00 

April 6693 889.00 

May 8372 1,135-00 



53010 $5,682.00 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 

The attendance for nine months was about twice the population of 
the entire county. The 5,682 dollars were used in purchasing musical 
instruments, pictures, playground apparatus, etc., and in furnishing 
entertainment. 

One centralized school in the open country had an attendance of 
10,280 persons and receipts to the amount of $1,502. Another con- 
solidated school had an attendance of 8,300 and $820 receipts. 



Suggestions and Programs for Commumty Meetings 



CO-OPERATING AGENCIES 

The Association should use every person's capabilities and the 
organizations of the county and state as far as they can be secured. 
Whoever can give something good for the community should be used. 
As a rule public men and organizations are willing to lend assistance 
in any good cause. 

The Home. 

The School. 

The Church. 

The Press. 

The Farm Bureau. 

The Grange. ' . 

The Women's Clubs. 

Superintendents of Schools. 

County Farm Agent. 

State Department of Public Instruction. 

County Officials. 

State Officials. 

State Colleges. 

National Congress of Mothers and Parent-Teachers' Associations. 

The Farmers' Institute. 

County Health Officer. 

County Health Nurse. 

State Board of Health, 

State Library. 

Farmers. 

United States Bureau of Education. 

Agricultural College, O. S. U. ^ 

Ohio Experiment Station. 

Government Printing' Office. 

The Physician. 

The Banker. 

The Business Man. 

The Lawyer. 

The Mayor. 



Sitggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



BOOKS IN THE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS OFFICE 

These books form part of the professional Hbrary in this office and 
will be loaned under certain reasonable limitations. A few books are 
being added every year. 

Drummond — An Introduction to School Hygiene. 
Weeks — The Education of Tomorrow. 
Betts and Hall — Better Rural Schools. 
Focht — Rural Denmark and Its Schools. 
Focht — The American Rural School. 
Carney — Country Life and the Country School. 
Kern — Among Country Schools. 
Cubberly — State and County School Administration. 
Cubberly — Rural Life and Education. 
Curtis — Play and Recreation. 
Curtis — Education Through Play. 

Bancroft — Games for Home, School and Playground. 
Woodrow — Brightness and Dullness in Children. 
Pearson — Reveries of a Schoolmaster. 
Dewey • — New Schools for Old. 
Alderman — School Credit for Home Work. 
Rowe — Society, Its Origin and Development. 
Stimson — Vocational Agricultural Education. 
Cromwell — Agriculture and Life. 
Corbett — Garden Farming. 

Fisher — Resources and Industries of the U. S. 
Morman — The Place of Agriculture in Reconstruction. 
' Quick — The Brown Mouse. 

Perry — Community Center Activities. 

Dunn — Community Civics. 

Pearson — The Vitalized School. 

Focht — The Rural Teacher and His Work. 

Bailey — The Country Life Movement. 



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Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



BOOKS ON COMMUNITY CENTER WORK AND RURAL LIFE 

In addition to books found in the Office of the County Super- 
intendent this list is submitted as one of best books which can be 
purchased. 

Rapeer — The Consolidated Rural. School. 

Butterfield — Chapters in Rural Progress. 

Galpin — Rural Life. 

Wilson — Evolution of the Country Community. 

Galpin — Rural Social Centers in Wisconsin. 

McKeever — Farm Boys and Girls. 

Bates — Pageants and Pageantry. 

Stern ^ Neighborhood Entertainments. 

Chesley — Social Activities for Men and Boys. 

Wray — Jean Mitchell's School, 

Ward — The Social Center. 

Butterfield — The Country Church and Rural Problem. 



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Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



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BOOKS OF SPECIAL HELP FOR PROGRAMS 

U. S, Government Bulletins — 

Our Government publishes many valuable bulletins on al- 
most every farm subject. 

Bulletins published by the Ohio Experiment Station. 

Extension Circulars by the Ohio State University. 

Russell Sage Foundation. 

How Our Grandfathers Lived — Hart. 

Stories of Pioneer Life — Bass. 

School Days of the Fifties — Griffin. 

America First — McBrien. 

Pageants and Pageantry — Bates. 

Patriotic Plays and Pageants — Mackay. 

How to Celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas — Kellog. 

Thanksgiving Entertainments — Sindelar. 

Holiday Entertainments — Shoemaker. 

Entertainments for Every Occasion — Yendes and Brown. 

Festivals and Plays — Chubb. 

Holiday Plays — Merington. 

Neighborhood Entertainments — Stern. 

Good Stories for Great Plolidays — Olcott. 

Christmas Legends and Stories — Curtis. 

Catalog of Plays and Entertainments — A. Flanagan Co., 

Chicago, 111. 

Catalog of Plays and Entertainments — Penn Pub. Co., Phila. 

Entertainment Material — Eldridge Entertainment House, 

Franklin, Ohio. 

Dramatized Scenes from American History — Stevenson. 

Little Am. History Plays for Little Americans — Hubbard. 



The Book Supply Co., and A. C. McClurg Co., of Chicago, and 
the Baker and Taylor Co., of New York, supply any book wanted. 



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Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



QUESTIONS FOR DEBATE 

1. That the Indians suffered greater wrongs from the American Gov- 
ernment than the Negroes. 

2. That Hfe in the country is more favorable to human development 
than life in the city. 

3. That universal peace is possible by arbitration. 

4. That the horse has done more to promote civilization than the 
locomotive. 

5. That the initiative and referendum should be adopted in State 
legislation. 

6. That for American cities, the municipal ownership of those pubhc 
service corporations, which furnish water, light and transportation 
is preferable to private ownership. 

7. That state, county and city officers should be nominated by direct 
primaries held under State regulation rather than by delegate con- 
vention. 

8. That all imigration to the United, States by people of the yellow 
race should be forbidden, 

9. That the Monroe Doctrine is out of date and should be abandoned. 

10. That county superintendents of schools should be elected by the 
people instead of appointed. 

11. That Ohio should adopt the county as the unit of school taxation 
and administration. 

12. That consolidation of schools, where possible to do so, is a duty 
of the board of education. 

13. That the minimum age of teachers should be 20 instead of 18, 
as at present. 

14. That the United States government should own and control all 
railroads. 

15. That it is more profitable to grow hogs than it is to grow cattle 
in this community. , 

16. That poultry is the most profitable business for this community. 

17. That fruit culture is a profitable business in this community. 

18. That boys and girls have a better opportunity in the country than 
in the city. 



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Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 

19. That universal physical training should be required in all public 
schools. 

20. That immigration to the United States should be prohibited for 
five years. 

21. That property in Ohio should be classified for taxation. 

22. That Preble County should spend not less than $6,000 per year 
for a County Health Physician and a County Nurse. 

23. That the Government should control the price of wheat. 

24. That every able-bodied man in the United States should be re- 
quired to perform one year's Military Service before attaining 
the age of twenty-five years. 

25. That it is not best to pension teachers. 

HUMOROUS DEBATES 

26. That an old maid is of more benefit to a community than an old 
bachelor. 

27. That devotion to fashion is a greater evil than the tobacco habit. 

28. That women are as brave as men. 

29. That women are intellectually inferior to men. 

30. That the broom is of more value than the dishrag. 



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Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



SUGGESTIONS 

1. Parent-Teachers is a good name for each organization. Do not neg- 
lect either parents or teachers in your program. Right co-operation 
of these two will help solve many of the problems now before our 
country. 

2. Programs should vary in character. Sameness becomes dull. 

3. Have some music in every program. 

4. Do not forget the children when making programs. 

5. As a rule simple refreshments should be served after the program. 

6. Divide the work so that it will not be burdensome to any one. 

7. Get folks to take an active part of some kind. . In this way they 
will become much more interested. 

8. Give time for conversation. Casual conversations with the right 
people may be of great value. 

9. The three big words of these community organizations are: Social, 
Intellectual and Recreational. 

10. Personal work by officers and teachers will bring results. 

11. Begin on time. 

12. Do not make the program too long. Limit the length of talks. 

13. Try to develop the talent in the school and the community. 

14. Do not meet too often. Every two weeks or once a month is 
usually best. 

15. Send the program or an account of each meeting to the county 
superintendent for publicity. 

16. Partisan politics and sectarianism absolutely must have no place 
in these meetings. 

17. Neither is there any place for criticism of the schools except that 
which is constructive. Knockers are destroyers. 

18. A live organization with a few members may do more than a 
large association with inactive members. 

19. A fine work is to back some school project. Some organizations 
have improved school grounds ; one in this county is now plan- 
ning to promote religious education in the school. Boys and 
girls Club Work is well worth encouraging in a material way. 
Assisting in serving hot lunches is another fine work. There 
are always several opportunities for real service. 

20. Use appropriate pictures for special programs. 



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Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



SUGGESTIONS FOR PROGRAMS 

Upon request the County Superintendent can furnish a mimeo- 
graphed copy of most of the poems and songs suggested. 



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LABOR DAY 

First Monday in September • 

History of the Day. 
Its Value. 
Music. 

Song — "Old Folks at Home." 
Why Every One Should Be a Laborer. 
Differentiation of Labor. 
Recitation — The Heritage — Lowell. 
Recitation — The Road — Foss. 
, Recitation — Labor — Osgood. 
Song — "Work for the Night is Coming.' 



The true test of civilization is not the census, nor the size of cities, 
nor the crops, but the kind of men the country turns out. — Emerson. 

This is the gospel of labor 

Sing it ye bells of the kirk; 
The Lord of love came down from above 

To live with the men who work. 
This is the rose He planted, 

Here is the thorn-curst soil ; 
Heaven is blest with a perfect rest, 

But the blessing of earth is toil. 

— Henry Van Dyke. 

No man is born into the world whose work 
Is not born with him; 

There is always work, — and tools to work withal, 
For those who will; and blessed be the horny 
hands of toil. 

— J. R. Lowell. 



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Suggestions and Programs for Commumty Meetings 



COUNTRY LIFE 

1. Why I Like the Country. 

2. The Social Side of Country Life. 

^ Song — "Swinging 'Neath the Old Apple Tree." 

4. Beauties of Country Life. 

5. Agencies for Upbuilding the Country. 

6. Reading — Part of "Barefoot Boy." 

7. Song — "Af ton Water." 

8. Reading — Parts of "Snowbound." 

9. Reading — "When the Cows Come Home" — Mitchell. 

10. Song — "The Happy Farmer" — Schumann. 

11. Recitation — "September" — H. H. Jackson. 

12. Reading — "The Heritage" — Lowell. 

13. Why Do Children Want to Leave the Farm? 

COLUMBUS DAY 
October 12 

1. Life of Columbus — A Pupil. 

2. The Voyage of Columbus. 

3. Song — America. 

4. Results to the World of the Discovery. 

5. Recitation — "Columbus" — Joaquin Miller. 

6. Song — "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean." 

7. Reading — "My Native Land" — Wright. 

8. Reading — "Tl^ Boy Columbus." 

9. How Columbus Has Been Honored. 

10. Music — Patriotic. 

11. Recitation — "Discovery Day." 

12. Reading — "America" — Bryant. 



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Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



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HOME COMING DAY 
Music. 

Song — "Home Sweet Home." 
Song — "Old Folks at Home." 
History of the First School. 
Ye Old Time School Days — Several persons. 
Reading— "The Jolly Old Pedagogue" — Arnold. 
Song — "The Schoolhouse on the Hill." 
Reading — "In School Days" — Whittier. 

Roll Call — One incident from the school life of each person. 
Quartet — "The Church in the Wild Wood." 
Reading — "The Huskers" — Whittier. 
Reading — "The Isle of Long Ago" — Taylor. 
Song — "Ben Bolt." 
Song — "Auld Lang Syne." 



This is the old folks' program and will be popular with them and 
profitable to all. Dinner should be served. The old folks should 
receive every possible courtesy throughout the day. 

Invite all who have ever at,tended the school and do not forget the 
former teachers. If any can not attend, ask them to write a letter 
to be read. 

Prepare an exhibit of old school books and equipment. 

Form a class of old residents and conduct a short recitation from 
one of the old books. 



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Suggestions and Progratns for Community Meetings 



HALLOWE'EN SOCIAL 
October 31 

1. Music. 

2. Song. 

3. Recitation — "Hallowe-en Cheer." 

4. Recitation — "Broomstick Train." 

5. Recitation — "The Pumpkin" — Whittier. 

6. Recitation — "The Goblins '11 Get You" — Riley. 

7. Song. 

8. Roll Call Response — Give one Hallowe'en prank. 

9. Reading — Parts of "Legend of Sleepy Hollow." 
10. Visiting the Witch's Screen. 

Make this evening rather informal. It is especially a jolly good 
time for every one. Decorate with pumpkin faces, shocks of corn, 
branches of trees, etc. Use several old Hallowe'en games. Serve 
pumpkin pie, popcorn, molasses candy, apples and doughnuts. 

A book "Hallowe'en Festivities" sold by the Penn Publishing Co., 
Philadelphia, at thirty-five cents will be found helpful. 



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Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



APPLE DAY 
First Week in November 

Culture. 

Best Varieties for Preble County. 

Care of Trees. 

Reading^- "Planting of the Apple Tree" — Bryant. 

Reading — "Apple Seed John" — Marie Child. 

Picking and Packing Apples. 

Marketing Apples. 

Music. 

Reading — "Ho ! Little-Red- Apple Tree" — Riley. 

Reading — "Apple Blossoms" — Martin. 

Ways of Using Apples. 



Have an exhibit of apples from the community. 
Serve apples for refreshments. 

FARM AND HOME DAY 

1. Importance of Agriculture. 

2. Farm Social Life. 

3. Song — "O, the Merry Harvest Time" — Webb. 

4. Preparations for Winter. 
Co-operation the Keynote for the Farm Problem. 
Recitatioin — "Heap High the Golden Grain." 
Music. 

Recitation — "The Frost is on the Pumpkin" — Riley. 
How to Decrease Household Labor. 

An exhibit of the agriculture products of the community may be 
made. The school room may be decorated with country products. 



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Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



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ARMISTICE DAY 
November ii 

Music, 

Song — "America." 

Reading — "The Reveille" — Hart. 

Recitation — "How Sleep the Brave" — Collins. 

Why the United States Entered the World War. 

Our Men in Europe. 

Our Men on Sea. 

Song — "Star-Spangled Banner." 

Reading — "Land of Mine" — Van Dyke. 

Reading — "The Service Flag" — Fabricant. 

War Work at Home. 

Results of the War. 

The World's Cry for Peace. 

Recitation — "In Flander's Field" — McCrae. 

Song — "Keep the Home Fires Burning." 

Reading — "Recessional" — - Kipling. 

November ii, 1918. 

Solo — "Who'll Keep the Glow in Old Glory" — Cole. 



American Legion Men should be honored on this day and given a 
place on the program. 

It is a fearful thing to lead this great, peaceful people into war, into 
the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming 
to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace, and we 
shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our 
hearts — for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority 
to have a voice in their own governments, for the rights and liberties of 
small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of 
free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the 
world itself at last free. 

To such a task we can dedicate our lives and our fortunes, every- 
thing that we are and everything that we have, with the pride of those 
who know that the day has come when America is privileged to spend 
her blood and her might for the principles that gave her birth and hap-' 
piness and the peace which she has treasured. God helping her, she can 
do no other, 

WOODROW WILSON. 



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Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



CORN DAY 

1. Music. 

2. History of Corn — A Pupil. 

3. Corn Products. 

4. Song — "Corn is King in Ohio." 

5. Recitation — "The Republic's Emblem." 

6. Cultivation of Corn. 

7. Ways of Using Corn As a Food. 

8. Song — "Pop Corn Song" — Primary Grades. 

9. Reading — "The Corn Song" — Whittier. 

10. Reading — "Story of the First Corn"- — Hiawatha. 

11. How to Increase the Average Yield of Corn." 

There should be an exhibit of corn and corn products. Decorate 
with corn. Ribbons may be given as prizes. 



The following exhibits are suggested : 



Ten ears of yellow corn. 10. 

Ten ears of white corn. 11. 

Ten ears of mixed corn. 12. 

Ten ears of sugar corn. 13. 

Ten ears of popcorn. 14. 

Best single ear of corn. 15. 

Heaviest ear. 16. 

Longest ear. 17. 

Shortest ear. 18. 



Freakiest ear. 
Corn bread. 
Corn syrup cookies. 
Corn starch pudding. 
Hasty pudding. 
Fried mush. 
Popcorn balls. 
Parched sweet corn. 
Corn syrup candy. 



19. Corn tester. 

20. Corn dryer, 

21. Essay on "Raising Corn." 

22. Essay on "Cooking Corn." 

23. Drawing of com. 

24. Design in grains of corn. 

25. Article made of corn. 



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Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



THANKSGIVING DAY 
Last Thursday in November 

1. Music, 

2. Song — "O, the Merry Harvest Time" — Webb. 

3. Story of the Pilgrims. 

4. Reading — The President's or the Governor's Proclamation. 

5. Recitation — "The Landing of the Pilgrims" — Hemans. 

6. Recitation — "The Bill of Fare" — Eugene Field. 

7. The True Meaning of Thanksgiving Day. 

8. Song — "One Hundredth Psalm." 

9. Reading — "The Frost is on the Pumpkin" — Riley. 

10. Reading — "The First Thanksgiving" — Brotherton. 

11. Recitation — "We Thank Thee" — Five Pupils. 

12. Why I Am Thankful. 

13. Song — "Harvest Home." 

14. Reading — "The Master of the Harvest." — Gatty. 

15. Recitation — "Thanksgiving Day" -^ Child. 



For flowers that bloom about our feet ; 
For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet; 
For song of bird, and hum of bee; 
For all things fair we hear or see, 

Father in heaven, we thank Thee ! 

For blue of stream and blue of sky; 
For pleasant shade of branches high ; 
For fragrant air and cooling breeze ; 
For beauty of the blooming trees, 

Father in heaven, we thank Thee ! 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



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Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



I 

2 

3 

4 
5 
6 

7 
8 

9 

lO, 

II 

12 



GOOD HEALTH 

Singing. 

School Sanitation. 

The House Fly — A Transmitter of Disease. 

Music. 

Why We Have Colds. 

Rural Sanitation. 

Some Rules for Good Health. 

Song. 

The School Lunch. 

Teeth, Tonsils and Adenoids. 

Malnutrition. 

A Play or Health Pageant. 



Helpful material will be found from the : 



Child Health Organization — 156 Fifth Ave., New York City. 

Ohio Public Health Organization, Columbus. 

U. S. Bureau of Education — Washington. 

Ohio State Board of Health. 

National Tuberculosis Assn., 381 Fourth Ave., New York City. 



A physician and the nurse should be invited to have a part on this 
program. 

"What gift has Providence bestowed on man that is so dear to him 
as his children ?" — Cicero. 

"A little fire is quickly trodden out; which being suffered, rivers 
can not quench." — Shakespeare. 

"Without health, life is no Hf e." — Rabelais. 

"Prevention is better than cure and far cheaper." — Locke. 

"The first wealth is health." — Emerson. 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 

CHRISTMAS DAY 

December 25th 

1. Music. 

2. Scripture Reading — Luke II, 8-14. 

3. Song — "Christmas Carol' — Sears. 

4. Song — "Joy to the World." 

5. The Meaning of Christmas.' 

6. Christmas Customs in Other Lands. 

7. Recitation — "Christmas Everywhere" — Phillip Brooks. 

8. Recitation — "Why Do Bells for Christmas Ring" — Eugene 
Field. 

9. Legend — "St. Christopher." 

10. Legend — "The Shepherd Who Didn't Go." 

11. Song— "Holy Night." 

12. Song — "O, Little Town of Bethlehem." 

13. Reading — "Christmas Is Coming" — Sturtzel. 

14. Reading — "Twas the Night Before Christmas" — Moore. 

15. Reading — "While Shepherds Watched" — Deland. 

16. Drills and Dialogues. 

Decorations and a Christmas tree should be provided. Strive for 
the real spirit of Christmas. Singing carols around a tree outdoors is 
a beautiful custom. 

There's a song in the air, there's a star in the sky 
There's a mother's deep prayer, and a baby's low cry, 
And the- star rains its fire while the beautiful sing 
And the manager of bethlehem cradles a king. — Herrick. 

I heard the bells on Christmas day 
Their old familiar carols play, 
And wild and sweet 
"The words repeat 
Of peace on earth, good-will to men ! — Longfellow. 

Hark! throughout Christendom joy bells are ringing 
From mountain and valley, o'er land and o'er sea. 
Sweet choral melodies pealing and thrilling. 
Echoes of ages from far Galilee ; 

Christmas is here. 

Merry old Christmas, 
Gift-bearing, heart-touching, joy-bearing Christmas, 
Day of grand memories. King of the Year. 
25 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



BETTER COUNTRY HOMES 

1. Song. 

2. Making the Country Home Beautiful with Shrubs and Flowers. 

3. Labor Saving Devices in the Home. 

4. Music. 

5. Reading ^ — -"Love of Country" — Scott. 

6. How Overcome the Isolation of Farm Women. 

7. How Spend Leisure Hours. 

8. Reading. 

9. Music. 

10. Question Box. 

IMPROVEMENT OF THE SCHOOL 

1. Song. 

2. Reading or Dialogue. 

3. Improvement of the Playgrounds. 

4. The Value of Beautiful Environment. 

5. Music. 

6. Song. 

7. Roll Call — Suggestions for Improvement. 

8. ■ The Financial Value of Education. 

9. Reading — "The Teacher's Dream" — Venable. 

10. Pictures in the School. 

11. Physical Education in Our Schools. 

12. Song. 



26 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



I 

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3 

4 
5 
6 

7 
8 

9 

10 

II 

12 

13 



LOCAL HISTORY 

Music. 

The Indians Here Before White Men Came. 

The First Settlers in This Community. 

The Early Church. 

Song — "The Church in the Wild Wood." 

The Old Time School. 

Responses — Reminiscences of Early Days. 

An Old Time Song. 

Recitation — "The Builders" — Longfellow. 

History of the Community. 

Farming Forty Years Ago. 

How Folks Lived Forty Years Ago. 

Reading — "The Old National Road" — Naylor. 



14 .Music. 

It will be interesting to have an exhibit of old household and farm 
articles and Indian relics. 



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Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY 
February 12 

1. Song — "Battle Hymn of the Republic' 

2. Roll Call Response — A Lincoln quotation. 

3. Recitation — "Abraham Lincoln" — Bryant. 

4. Lincoln's School Days. 

5. Lincoln, the Statesman. 

6. Reading — "Why Should the Spirit of Mortal Be Proud" — 
,Knox. (Lincoln's favorite poem.) 

7. Lincoln the Man. 

8. Anecdotes of Lincoln. 

9. Gettysburg Address. 

10. Reading — Letter to Mrs. Bixby. 

11. Recitation — "O Captain! My Captain! 

12. Song — "My Old Kentucky Home." 

13. Song — "Tenting Tonight." 

14. Flag Drill. 

Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays offer golden opportunities for 
lessons of patriotism. If thought best, the two occasions may be com- 
bined into one patriotic program. 

Use flags, pictures, etc., for decorating. 

A talk by a Civil War soldier giving something of the life of those 
stirring days will be good. 

The letter to Mrs. Bixby is engraved upon the walls of Oxford Uni- 
versity, England, as the purest English and most elegant diction in ex- 
istence. 



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Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY 
February 22 

1. Music. 

2. Song — "Red, White and Blue." 

3. Wasliington to 1775. 

4. Recitation — "The Twenty-second of February" — Bryant. 

5. Reading — "Independence Bell." 

6. "First in War." 

7. "First in Peace." 

8. "First in the Hearts of His Countrymen." 
p. Song — "Mt. Vernon Bells." 

10. Reading — "The Meaning of our Flag" — Beecher. 

11. A Short Play or Pageant. 

12. Song — "The Flag Goes By." 

13. Recitation — "Your Flag and My Flag" — Nesbit. 

14. The Flag Salute. 

15. Reading — "The American Flag" — Drake. 

16. The Minuet (Should be in Colonial costume). 

Decorate with flags, pictures of Colonial days, etc. 
The school may give souvenirs to every one present. Cardboard 
hatchets, etc., will be appropriate. 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



9 

10 

II 



SCHOOL EXHIBIT 
Music. 

Our School — A teacher or the superintendent. 
Value of Exhibits. 

Song — "Work for the Night is Coming." 
Reading — "Why Boys Leave the Farm." 
Recitation — "Psalm of Life" — Longfellow. 
A Calesthenic Drill. 

Exhibition of Boy Scout or Camp Fire Work. 
Demonstration of Wireless Telegraphy. 
Demonstration of Canning, etc. 
Song. 



Plenty of time should be given for everybody to see the work of the 
school. The exhibits of the work of the children should not be mere 
display but they should be careful, well prepared, every day work of the 
school. All departments of the school ought to be on exhibit. 

. The refreshments should he served by the girls in the home eco- 
nomics department. 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



SPELLING CONTEST 

1. Song — "Long, Long Ago." 

2. Roll Call Response — Pronounce and spell a difficult word. 

3. Reading — Remarks of Squire Hawkins in the Hoosier School- 
master when appointed as "pronouncer" for the spelling con- 
test. 

4. Contest — "Trapper." 

Trapper catches the misspelled words. 

5. Contest — "Sending Runners." 

One pupil spells against one patron. If patron spells down pupil 
choose another pupil; if pupil spells down patron, choose another 
patron. 

6. Music. 

7. Contest — "Last Letter." 

Begin new word with last letter of previous word. 

8. Contest — "Initial Challenge." 

Those having Initials from A to M spell against those from 
N to Z. 

9. Recitation — "In School Days" — Whittier. 

10 

II 

12 

13 



Contest — "Men Against Women." 
Song — "When You and I Were Young." 
Contest — "Last One on the Floor." 
Awarding Prizes. 



Such prizes as apples and taffy are suggested. 

A contest between children of two schools and patrons of two com- 
munity centers may be arranged. 

This should be an evening of fun. See that each contest is not 
drawn out too long. About ten minutes is sufficient time for most of the 
contests. 

The words should be pronounced very plainly. Those in charge of 
the program should have all arrangements carefully made. 



31 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



AN ENTERTAINMENT FOR PROFIT 

Below is listed a number of suggestions. These have proven suc- 
cessful in this county and elsewhere. They must be carefully planned 
and managed. 

The Community center must not be a money-making enterprise, but 
there should be no objection to occasional entertainments where a small 
charge is made to create a fund for some good cause, as books, pictures, 
equipment for playgrounds, etc. However, do not overcharge. 

1 . Tableaux. 

These consist of living pictures and shadow pantomines. Tab- 
leaux represent historical scenes, famous pictures, statuary, 
poems and songs. Where electric light is available a frame may 
be made for a setting of some of the pictures. 

2. Dramatic Productions. 

3. School Entertainment. 

4. Minstrel. 

5 . Carnival. 

6. Box Supper. 

7. Unclaimed Parcel Auction. 

Parcels are contributed — anything from a glass of jelly to an 
old hat. Packages are sold to the highest bidder. 

8. An Old Time Corn Husking and Apple Paring. 



32 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



9 

10 

II 

12 

13 



ST. PATRICK'S DAY 

March ly 

Music. 

Song — "Mother McCree." 

History of St. Patrick. 

Myths of St. Patrick. 

Irish Jig. 

Solo — "The Last Rose of Summer." 

Reading — "Dark Rosaleen." 

Roll Call — An Irish Story. 

Solo — "The Old Plaid Shawl." 

Four-hand Reel. 

Violin Selection — "Elves of Ireland." 

Solo — "A Little Bit of Heaven." 

"The Harp That Once Through Tara's Halls.' 



If the room is properly decorated, it will assist greatly in making an 
effective program. 



33 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



9 

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13 
14 
15 
16, 

17 
18 

19 
20 
21 
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23 

24, 

25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30. 
31 
32 

33 
34 
35 
36 



MUSIC NIGHT 

Instrumental Music. 

Song — "America the Beautiful" — Bates. 

Song — "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean." 

Solo — "Annie Laurie." 

"There's a Long, Long Trail." 

"Keep the Home Fires Burning." 

"Rock of Ages." 

"Onward Christian Soldiers." 

Quartet — "Sweet and Low." 

"Pack Up Your Troubles." 

"Three Blind Mice." 

Short Talk — Why Much of Our Popular Music Is Not Good. 

Short Talk — Value of Music in Our Schools. 

"Battle Hymn of the Republic." 

"Dixie Land." 

"We're Tenting Tonight." 

"America." 

Reading — "Sarah May's First Music Lesson." 

"Long, Long Ago." 

"Love's Old Sweet Song." 

"Juanita." 

Solo — "Abide With Me" (Violin obligato). 

"Old Folks At Home." 

"My Old Kentucky Home." 

"Old Black Joe." 

Solo — "Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep." 

"Lead Kindly Light." 

"Beulah Land." 

"We're Marching to Zion." 

"I Love to Tell the Story." 

Duet — "Bugle Song" — Tennyson. 

Repeat the 23d Psalm — Everybody. 

Recitation — "The Lost Chord" — Proctor. 

"Home Sweet Home." 

"Goodnight, Ladies." 

"God Be With You." 



Almost all of this program is singing by the people. 
a real old-fashioned community sing. 



It should be 



34 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



A DEBATE. 



Music. 

Dialogue. 

Recitation. 

Solo. 

Debate. 

Song. 

Humorous Debate. 

Music. 

Decision of Judges. 



On another page in this book is listed a number of subjects for de- 
bate. A few humorous subjects are given also. 

The rules governing Debates should be clearly understood. Not 
more than two or three persons should debate each side of the ques- 
tion. Ten minutes is about enough time to give each speaker. There 
should be judges. 

If two schools or community centers challenge each other for a de- 
bating contest, it will prove both interesting and wholesome stimulus to 
community center work. 



35 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



OHIO 

1. Music. 

2. Song — "Ohio Beautiful." 

3. Early History. 

4. Statesmen of Ohio. 

5. Song — ''Hills of Ohio." 

6. Reading ^ — -A few short poems of Alice and Phoebe Gary. 

7. Interesting Places in Ohio. 

8. Educators of Ohio. 

9. Music. 

10. Reading — "The Teacher's Dream" — Venable. 

11. Colleges of Ohio. 

12. Industries of the State. 

13. Song- — "Hurrah for the Schools of Ohio." 

14. The Underground Railroad. 

15. Pioneer Days. 

16. "Ohio" — Kail. 

17. Why Ohio Is Called the Buckeye State — Farrar. 



GOOD ROADS 

1. Song. 

2. Roads Forty Years Ago. 

3. Explanation of the Ohio Road Laws. 

4. Music. 

5. Inconvenience of Present Roads. 

6. Value of Goods Roads to School and Church. 

7. How Much Does This Community Lose Yearly by Not Having 
Roads ? 

8. Reading — "Precedent" — Walter Foss. 

9. Song — "There's a Long, Long Trail." 

10. Cost of Making Our Roads What They Should Be. 

11. Is the Present System of Road Repair in the District Eco 
nomical ? 

12. The Best Means of Improving Our Roads. 

13. Reading — "The Old National Road" — Naylor. 

14. Music. 



36 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 

ARBOR AND BIRD DAY 
Day appointed by the Governor 

1. Music. 

2. History of Arbor Day. 

3. The Best Trees to Plant. 

4. The Most Useful Trees. 

5. Song — "America, the Beautiful" — Bates. 

6. Reading — "Jack in the Pulpit." 

7. Historic Trees. 

8. Tree Legends. 

9. How to Plant Trees. 

10. Reading — "The Planting of the Apple Tree" — Bryant. . 

11. Recitation — "Out in the Felds" — Mrs. Browning. 

12. Reading— "A Mile With Me" — Van Dyke. 

13. Why We Should Care for Birds. 

14. Attracting Birds About the Home. 

15. Dialogue — "Who Stole the Bird's Nest" — Child. 

16. Victrola — "The Mocking Bird." 

17. Recitation — "The First Blue Bird" — Riley. 

18. Bird Legends. 

19. Recitation — "The Snowbird's Song." 

20. Reading — "Robert of Lincoln" — Bryant. 

21. Music. 

The year's at the spring, 
The day's at the morn. 
The morn's at seven, 
The hill-side's dew-pearled 
The Lark's on the wing, 
The snail's on the thorn, 
God's in His heaven. 
All's right with the world. 

— Browning. 

Do not fail to plant trees, shrubbery and flowers. A certain amount 
of ceremony may properly be carried out with the planting. Be sure to 
plant in the proper place. Do not spoil open places for play. Trees and 
shrubs, that attract birds may well be planted. Why not make some spot 
on the school grounds a bird home. 

37 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



STORY NIGHT 

1. Song — "The Star Spangled Banner." 

2. "The Mail-Coach Passengers" — Anderson. 

3. "Cupid and Psyche" — Peabody. 

4. "A Child's Dream of a Star" — Dickens. 

5. Echo and Narcissus." 

6. Cornelia's Jewels." 

7. "Why the Evergreen Trees Never Lose Their Leaves." 

8. "The Dryad of the Old Oak" — Lowell. 

9. "The Dervish of Mocha." 

10. "The Easter Eggs" — Canon Schmidt. 

11. Music. 

12. "The Pigeons of Venice." 

13. "The Fall of London Bridge." 

14. "Beowulf." 

15. "Passing of King Arthur." 

16. "The Emporer's Vision." 

17. "Little Cosette." 

18. "St. George and the Dragon." 

19. "Tar Baby" — Uncle Remus. 

20. "The Iron Stove." 

21. "Ali Baba." 

22. "Story of Ulysses." 

23. Song — "Marseillaise." 

24. "Origin of Roast Pig." 

25. "King of the Golden River." 

26. "The First Christmas." 

Story-telling for entertainment is one of the oldest of arts. These 
stories should not be memorized. Get into the mood of, the story with 
a genuine appreciation of it. Do not forget the emotional side. Try 
to be efifective and do not drag the story out to considerable length. 



38 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



MAY DAY 

First of May- 
All outdoor program. Only a few suggestions are given. Each 
school will have different plans. Costuming is effective. 



Dramatization of Ceres and Proserpine or other Greek story. 

May Pole Dances. 

Crowning the May Queen. 

Folk Dances. 

Drills and Marches. 

Singing. 



39 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



DRAMA NIGHT 
Only a few suggestions are offered. 



Dramatization of "The Hoosier Schoolmaster." 

Hiawatha. 

Scenes from Evangeline. 

Many Historical Events. 

Dramatizations by small children. 



Avoid cheap, silly and objectionable selections. Plenty of good ma- 
terial may be found. If any competent person is available, he should be 
used to help train those taking part. 



41 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



POETRY NIGHT 

1. Music. 

2. "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." 

3. "Wynken, Blynken and Nod." 

4. "Come, Little Leaves." 

5. "If I Were a Sunbeam." 

6. "I Live For Those Who Love Me." 

7. "I Love You, Mother." 

8. Song — "Seven Times One" — Ingelow. 

9. "The Brown Thrush" — Larcom.. 

10. "Out to Old Aunt Mary's" — Riley. 

11. "Seeing Things at Night" — Riley. 

12. Music. 

13. "October's Bright Blue Weather" — H. H. Jackson. 

14. "Apostrophe to the Ocean" — Byron. 

15. "The Village Blacksmith" — Longfellow. 

16. "The Arrow and the Song" — Longfellow. 

17. "The Psalm of Life" — Longfellow. 

18. Song — "Four-Leaf-Clover" — Higginson. 

19. "Love of Country" — Scott. 

20. "Concord Hymn" ^- Emerson. 

21. "Burial of Sir John Moore." 

22. "Paul Revere's Ride" (Concert by three or four boys). 

23. Song — "Onward, Christian Soldiers." 

24. "The Mercy Speech" — Shakespeare. 

25. "The Bugle Song" — Tennyson. 

26. "The Sandpiper" — Thaxter (given by a girl). 

27. Song — "Sweet and Low." 

28. "Recessional" — Kipling. 

29. "Opportunity" — Sill. 

30. "Crossing the Bar" — Tennyson. 

A few words of introduction to some of the poems giving historical 
significance, beauty or uplift of the poem will help. AH poems given are 
famous. 



41 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



9- 
lo. 
II. 

12. 

13- 

14. 

15- 



CLUB WORK 

Music. 

Value of Boys' and Girls' Clubs. 

Kinds Needed in This Community. 

Reading — "Barefoot Boy" — Whittier. 

Recitation — "A Boy's Song" — Hogg. 

The Leader of Club Work. 

Proper Awards. 

Recitation — "I Love You, Mother." 

Song — "Club Song." 

How Shall We Encourage Club Work Here? 

The Camp Fire Girls. 

Recitation — "Boys Wanted." 

Boy Scouts. 

Song — "Boy Scout March" — Morrison. 

Reading — "Why Boys Leave the Farm." 



LAST DAY OF SCHOOL 

Several programs in the different rooms or departments. 
Exhibit of work of school. 
Community Dinner. 
Drills, pageants, etc. 
Baseball and other contests. 



Programs similar to the above have been carried out by several 
schools in this county for a number of years. These "Last Days" draw 
large crowds and are both interesting and helpful in creating good com- 
munity fellowship and a right attitude toward progressive schools. 



42 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



I 

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3 

4 
5 
6 

7 
8 

9 

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II 

12 

13 

14 

15 



PEACE DAY 

May 1 8 
Music. 

The Cost of War. 
War — A Relic of Olden Days. 
Song — "Recessional." 

Reading — "The Dawn of World Peace" — Taft. 
Effects of War Between Nations. 
Song — "Hear, O Ye Nations" — Hosmer. 
Story of The Christ of The Andes. 
Heroes of Peace. 
Reading. 

Song — "Angel of Peace" — Holmes. 
Reading — "On War" — Lowell. 
Progress Toward Peace. 
The Nobel Prize. 
Music. 



There are two ways of ending a dispute — discussion and force ; the 
latter manner is simply that of the brute beasts ; the former is proper 
to beings gifted with reason. Cicero 

War is a most detestable thing. If you had seen but one day of war, 
you would pray God you might never see another. WeUinrton 

Polygamy and slavery have been abolished by civilized nations. 
Dueling no longer exists where English is spoken. The right of private 
war and of privateering has passed away. Many other benevolent aboli- 
tions have been made in various fields, but there still remains the foulest 
blot that has ever disgraced the earth, the killing of civilized men by 
men like wild beasts as a permissible mode of settling international dis- 

P • — Andrew Carnegie. 

*Tt came upon the midnight clear. 
That glorious song of old. 
From angels bending near the earth 
To touch their harps of gold ; 
Peace on the earth, good will to men 
From heaven's all-gracious King." 



43 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



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13 
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15 
i6 

17 



MEMORIAL DAY 

May 30 

Song — "America." 

Flag Salute. 

History of Memorial Day. 

Song — "Battle Hymn of the Republic." 

Reading — "The Bivouac of the Dead." 

Reading — "Crown Our Heroes" — Kail. 

Reading — Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address. 

Recitation — "Ship of State" — Longfellow. 

Why We Should Commemorate the Day. 

How Best Observe Memorial Day. 

Recitation — "The Blue and the Gray" — Finch. 

Song — "Star Spangled Banner." 

Song — "We're Tenting Tonight." 

Recitation — "The Sleep of the Brave" — Collins. 

Bugle Calls. 

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. 

Recitation — "The New Memorial Day" — Paine. 



Bring ye blossoms of the May 
For the brave beloved dead; 

Tender memories rise today 

O'er each fallen hero's bed. 

Bring ye blossoms of the May 

Strew each humble soldier's grave ; 

Liberty shall kneel today 

Honorinsf the true and brave. 



Let us scatter over their graves the brighteset beauties of life — 
glad tokens of a blessed immortality. 

— Mitchell. 



the 



44 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



BIBLE NIGHT 

1. Song — "Holy, Holy, Holy." 

2. Roll Call Response — A Favorite Bible Verse. 

3. Recitation — "Child's Evening Prayer" — Baring-Gould. 

4. Recitation — "What I Live For." 

5. Song — "The Church in the Wildwood." 

6. Story — "The Call of Abraham" — Genesis xii-xv. 

7. Dramatization — "Joseph and His Brethren" — Genesis xxxvii, 

xxxix, xlvii. 

8. Story — "Early Life and Call of Moses" — Exodus i-iv. 

9. Reading — "The Burial of Moses." 

10. Story — "Stories of Joshua," 

11. Song — "We're Marching to Zion.' 

12. Story — "Ruth and Naomi" — Ruth i-iv. 

13. Story — "David and Goliath" — 1 Sam. xxii-xxiii. 

14. Story — "Stories of Elijah" — 1 Kings xvi-xix. 

15. Story — "Stories of Daniel" — Daniel i-iii, vi. 

16. Song — "Nearer, My God, to Thee." 

17. Recitation — "The Destruction of Sennacherib" — Byron. 

18. The Greatest Book in the World — A Minister. 

19. All repeat the 23d Psalm. 

20. Legend — "The Other Wise Man" — Van Dyke. 

21. Song — "Beulah Land." 

22. Several Parables of Christ. 

23. Song — "I Love to Tell Story. 

24. All repeat the Lord's Prayer. 

25. Doxology. 

"A thousand hammers keen, 

With fiery force and strain, 
Brought down on it in rage and hate, 

Have struck this gem in vain. 
Against this sea-swept rock, 

Ten thousand storms their will 
Of foam and rage have widely swept; 

It lifts its calm face still." 

Thy word have I hid mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee. 

Psalm 119: 2. 

45 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



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7 
8 

9 

10 

II 

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13 

14 
15 
i6 



INDEPENDENCE DAY 

July 4 

Music. 

Song — "America." 

Reading — ''Old Flag" — Parker. 

Recitation — "Our Flag" — Howlister. 

Reading the Declaration of Independence. 

Why We Celebrate This Day. 

History of the American Flag. 

Song— "We'll Keep Old Glory Flying." 

Recitation — "Your Flag and My Flag" — Nesbit. 

Reading — "The Name of Old Glory" — Riley. 

Flag Salute. 

Vocal Solo — "Who'll Keep the Glow in Old Glory" — Cole. 

Reading — "Independence Bell." 

Recitation — "The Flag Goes By" — Bennett. 

Song — "Star Spangled Banner." 

Dinner. 



It is suggested that the day be observed with a community picnic. 
The above program may be given in the forenoon. In the afternoon se- 
lections may be made from the following suggestions : 



Historical Pageant. 

Series of Tableaux. 

May Pole Dance with Red, White and Blue Ribbons. 

Band Concert. 

Athletic Events. 

Flag Drill. 

Patriotic Address. 



Sentiment has changed in regard to celebrating this day with much 
noise and great danger. The program should interest the whole com- 
munity and the real significance of the Fourth of July as the birthday 
of American Independence should be given prominence. 



46 



Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 



THE AMERICAN FLAG 

The American flag is the symbol of the brotherhood of man. It 
stands for courage, for chivalry, for generosity and honor. 

No hand may touch it roughly; no hand shall touch it irreverently. 

Its position is aloft: To float over its children, uplifting their eyes 
and hearts by its glowing colors and splendid promise ; for under the 
Stars and Stripes are opportunities unknown to any other nation of 
the world. 

In no case should the flag be permitted to touch the ground, nor 
should it be marred by advertisements, nor desecrated on the stage. 

For indoor decorations the flag should only be used as a drapery ; it 
should not be used to cover a bench or table, or where anything can 
be placed upon the flag. 

When our national flag and state or other flags fly together, or are 
used in decoration, our national flag should be on the right. 

Whenever possible the flag should always be allowed to fly in the 
breeze from a staff or mast, but if it should be necessary to fasten it to 
the side of a building or platform, it should hang with the blue field at 
the upper left hand corner. If hung where it can be seen from both 
sides, the blue field should be toward the east or north. 

The correct salute to the flag as required by the regulations of the 
United States Army is : 

Standing at attention, raise the right hand to the forehead over the 
right eye, palm downward, fingers extended and close together, arm at an 
angle of forty-five degrees. Move hand outward about a foot, with a 
quick motion, then drop it to the side. 

The oath of allegiance to the flag, adopted by the N. S. D. A. R. and 
by our military schools, the Boy Scouts and other organizations and 
which should be taught in all our public schools is : 

'T pledge allegiance to my flag, and to the Republic for which it 
stands: one Nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." 

When the colors are passing on parade or in review, the spectator 
should, if a man or boy, stand at attention and uncover. 

No words, figures, pictures or marks of any kind should be placed 
upon the flag. 

When the "Star Spangled Banner" is played, all present should rise 
and stand at attention until the end. 

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Suggestions and Programs for Community Meetings 

When the flag is displayed at half mast, for mourning, it is lowered 
to that position from the top of the staff. It is afterward hoisted to the 
top before it is finally lowered. 

When the flag is flown at half staff as a sign of mourning it should 
be hoisted to full staff at the conclusion of the funeral. 

When used on a bier or casket at a funeral, the stars should be at the 
head. 

The flag should not be hoisted before sunrise or allowed to remain 
up after sunset. 

When the national colors are passing on parade, or in review, spec- 
tators should, if walking, halt, and if sitting, rise and stand at attention, 
the men removing their hats. 



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